The wind has played a long and important role in the history of human civilization. The first known use of wind dates back 5,000 years to Egypt, where boats used sails to travel from shore to shore. The first true windmill, a machine with vanes attached to an axis to produce circular motion, may have been built as early as 2000 B.C. in ancient Babylon. By the 10th century A.D., windmills with wind-catching surfaces as long as 16 feet and as high as 30 feet were grinding grain in the area now known as eastern Iran and Afghanistan.

The western world discovered the windmill much later. The earliest written references to working wind machines date from the 12th century. These too were used for milling grain. It was not until a few hundred years later that windmills were modified to pump water and reclaim much of Holland from the sea.

In a number of countries the proportion of electricity generated by wind power is now challenging conventional fuels. In Denmark, 20% of the country's electricity is currently supplied by the wind. In Spain, the contribution has reached eight percent, and is set to rise to 15% by the end of the decade. These figures show that wind power is already able to provide a significant input of carbon-free electricity. In 2005, the global wind energy sector registered another record year, with a total of 11,531 MW of new capacity installed. This represented a 40.5% increase on an annual basis and a 24% cumulative growth.

Aruvian's offering includes a complete analysis of the Spanish Wind Energy Industry, including an analysis of the companies operating in the industry, the regulatory framework in place, an industry profile, industry developments, technological developments in turbines, and lots more information is included. This research offering from Aruvian is a comprehensive A to Z guide on Spain's wind energy industry.